"Valeria!" Dominic shouted hoarsely from behind her, his tears finally breaking through their last line of defense and streaming down his face.
Valeria's footsteps paused for a moment at the door, but she didn't look back.
Watching her straight, resolute back, Dominic knew this was their final farewell. All his remorse, all his love, and all his extravagant hopes had been ground into dust by her tranquil gaze and calm words. He opened his mouth, a thousand words caught in his throat. In the end, they were distilled into a single, choked, and broken blessing.
"You too, Valeria. I wish you peace and joy, and I hope you find the happiness that truly belongs to you."
Her back seemed to stiffen for a fraction of a second. Then, without a word, she gave a slight nod, walked out, and softly c
